Pint of Science festival to showcase local research

An upcoming festival will highlight the science brewing in our own backyard, including innovative research looking to cure diabetes.

Kat Aston-Mourney, Michael Berk and Bryony McNeill will share their expertise at the Pint of science Festival.

An upcoming festival will highlight the science brewing in our own backyard, including a quest to cure diabetes.

Associate Professor Kat Aston-Mourney is among presenters at the annual fact-filled Pint of Science festival, which is holding three events at Little Creatures Brewery in Geelong later this month.

The lecturer in medicine at Deakin University, who is co-ordinating the event locally, is working on creating an injection that could cure diabetes.

The research involves taking stem cells and turning them into insulin producing cells.

Prof Aston-Mourney said a protective substance injected into the person with the cells would be used to make the transplant last long-term.

“The novel part is that we’re creating a really protective environment,” she said.

Ideally, this would be a one-off cure for diabetes, she said.

“I’ll be going over a lot of the challenges with diabetes and why it’s been so difficult to cure and then look at a new way we’re working with novel materials to try and provide a supportive environment,” she said.

Prof Aston-Mourney undertook fellowships in the USA and Australia before starting her own research lab at Deakin in Geelong in 2013.

The Pint of Science festival delivers varied science stories, with the aim to knock down stereotypes and build science appreciation.

Pint of Science presents topical talks featuring the latest scientific research delivered by local scientists, science enthusiasts and academics at Little Creatures Brewery Geelong.

The topic of the first night will be “what’s with the gas?” while night two will examine new and fascinating ways to tackle our most common diseases.

The third evening will explore helping people recover from common mental health problems.

Prof Aston-Mourney said the event, which occurred around the world, presented science in an understandable way.

The events will be held at 6.30pm on 22, 23 and 24 May.

Tickets are $8 and can be bought the door or purchased online at pintofscience.com.au/events/geelong

Originally published as Pint of Science festival to showcase local research